MESOTHELIOMA- STAGING

Stage Information for Malignant Mesothelioma

·         Definitions of TNM

Patients with stage I disease have a significantly better prognosis than those with more advanced stages. Because of the relative rarity of this disease, exact survival information based upon stage is limited.[1]

Definitions of TNM

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and International Union Against Cancer (UICC) have designated staging by TNM classification to define malignant mesothelioma.[2]

AJCC and UICC TNM Staging for Diffuse Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Table 1. Primary Tumor (T)a
aReprinted with permission from AJCC: Pleural mesothelioma. In: Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2010, pp 271-7.
TX	Primary tumor cannot be assessed.
T0	No evidence of primary tumor.
T1	Tumor limited to the ipsilateral parietal pleura with or without mediastinal pleura and with or without diaphragmatic pleural involvement.
T1a	No involvement of the visceral pleura.
T1b	Tumor also involving the visceral pleura.
T2	Tumor involving each of the ipsilateral pleural surfaces (parietal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic, and visceral pleura) with at least one of the following: involvement of diaphragmatic muscle; extension of tumor from visceral pleura into the underlying pulmonary parenchyma.
T3	Locally advanced but potentially resectable tumor. Tumor involving all of the ipsilateral pleural surfaces (parietal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic, and visceral pleura) with at least one of the following: involvement of the endothoracic fascia; extension into the mediastinal fat; solitary, completely resectable focus of tumor extending into the soft tissues of the chest wall; nontransmural involvement of the pericardium.
T4	Locally advanced technically unresectable tumor. Tumor involving all of the ipsilateral pleural surfaces (parietal, mediastinal, diaphragmatic, and visceral pleura) with at least one of the following: diffuse extension or multifocal masses of tumor in the chest wall, with or without associated rib destruction; direct transdiaphragmatic extension of tumor to the peritoneum; direct extension of tumor to the contralateral pleura; direct extension of tumor to mediastinal organs; direct extension of tumor into the spine; tumor extending through to the internal surface of the pericardium with or without a pericardial effusion or tumor involving the myocardium.

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Table 2. Regional Lymph Nodes (N)a
aReprinted with permission from AJCC: Pleural mesothelioma. In: Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2010, pp 271-7.
NX	Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed.
N0	No regional lymph node metastases.
N1	Metastases in the ipsilateral bronchopulmonary or hilar lymph nodes.
N2	Metastases in the subcarinal or the ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes including the ipsilateral internal mammary and peridiaphragmatic nodes.
N3	Metastases in the contralateral mediastinal, contralateral internal mammary, ipsilateral or contralateral supraclavicular lymph nodes.

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Table 3. Distant Metastasis (M)a
aReprinted with permission from AJCC: Pleural mesothelioma. In: Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2010, pp 271-7.
M0	No distant metastasis.
M1	Distant metastasis present.

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Table 4. Anatomic Stage/Prognostic Groupsa
Stage	T	N	M
aReprinted with permission from AJCC: Pleural mesothelioma. In: Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2010, pp 271-7.
I	T1	N0	M0
IA	T1a	N0	M0
IB	T1b	N0	M0
II	T2	N0	M0
III	T1, T2	N1	M0
	T1, T2	N2	M0
	T3	N0, N1, N2	M0
IV	T4	Any N	M0
	Any T	N3	M0
	Any T	Any N	M1

References

1.     Chahinian AP, Pass HI: Malignant mesothelioma. In: Holland JC, Frei E, eds.: Cancer Medicine e.5. 5th ed. Hamilton, Ontario: B.C. Decker Inc, 2000, pp 1293-1312.

2.     Pleural mesothelioma. In: Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al., eds.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2010, pp 271-7.